Very thorough, well documented, appropriate process... clear
goals and methodology... a text-book study... well organized and
communicative about an important issue for landscape architects...
2004
Student Awards Jury Comments

This project proposes a framework for off-site regional wetland
mitigation that protects biodiversity. Scientific foundations for
the framework include wildlife ecology, conservation biology, landscape
ecology, and reserve design principles. Patch size, significant
habitat, connectivity, spatial context water quality, and acquisition
feasibility were prime considerations for the framework. The framework
was applied as a case study to northeast Florida within the St.
John’s River Water Management District.

The author concludes that the regional framework for wetland mitigation
is a flexible process that could potentially be applied to any region
where comparable data is available. The study highlights the ecological
importance of wetlands of even the smallest size and includes small
wetlands within the framework. The framework has potential applications
within the St. Johns River Water Management District for both mitigation
and land acquisition purposes. The study also portrays the importance
of protecting integrated landscapes of uplands, wetlands, and open
water.